Poached Fish

Ingredients

• 3 pounds whole fish or 1½ to 2 pounds fish steaks or fillets
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Salt and black pepper
• Hide ingredients for Mayonnaise, Scandinavian Mustard-Dill Sauce, Beurre Blanc, Herbed Yogurt Dressing, or Green Goddess Dressing 1 Mayonnaise, Scandinavian Mustard-Dill Sauce, Beurre Blanc, Herbed Yogurt Dressing, or Green Goddess Dressing (opens in new tab) Mayonnaise, Scandinavian Mustard-Dill Sauce, Beurre Blanc, Herbed Yogurt Dressing, or Green Goddess Dressing
  • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of white pepper
  • (Up to 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard)
  • 1 cup vegetable oil, or ¾ cup vegetable oil and ¼ cup olive oil
  • Salt and white pepper to taste

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Have ready a balloon whisk and a medium bowl or affix the whisk attachment to a stand mixer. Whisk together until smooth and light: 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar, to taste; ¼ teaspoon salt; Pinch of white pepper; (Up to 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard)
  2. If using a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium-high. Very gradually whisk in: 1 cup vegetable oil, or ¾ cup vegetable oil and ¼ cup olive oil
  3. As the mixture thickens—when about one-third of the oil has been added—whisk in the oil more steadily, making sure each addition is thoroughly blended before adding the next. Should the oil stop being absorbed, stop pouring the oil and whisk vigorously before adding more. Whisk in: Salt and white pepper to taste
  4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  5. Place all the ingredients from version I in a narrow jar just wide enough to fit the end of an immersion blender (most immersion blenders come with such a jar—use it if possible). Place the end of the blender into the jar so it touches the bottom. Start the blender on medium speed, keeping it at the bottom of the jar until you can see the mixture form a vortex, thicken, and become opaque. Slowly lift the blender up and pulse it a couple times up and down to make sure all the oil is incorporated.